Portrait of Arthur Roessler

The Portrait of Arthur Roessler by Egon Schiele, created in 1914, is a powerful example of the artist’s mastery of the graphic arts during the high period of Austrian Expressionism. This intense study is executed in the drypoint technique, which utilizes a sharp stylus to scratch directly into the copper plate. This method leaves a distinctive burr of metal that captures ink, resulting in rich, velvety, and often slightly blurred lines characteristic of Schiele's graphic output.

Arthur Roessler (1877-1955) was an influential Austrian art critic and patron who provided Schiele with crucial support and guidance throughout his career, particularly within the orbit of the Vienna Secession movement. The portrait captures the subject’s intensity through the stark, angular features typical of Schiele’s psychological approach to portraits just prior to the outbreak of World War I. Schiele deliberately avoids superfluous detail, focusing instead on the essential structure and nervous energy of the male figure. The economy of line and the psychological depth inherent in this work reflect the anxiety and introspection central to Viennese art of the early 20th century.

As one of Schiele's significant prints, this drypoint impression demonstrates his profound ability to use the graphic medium to convey vulnerability and emotional strain. The physical presence and emotional weight of the piece solidify its importance within the artist's relatively brief but prolific career. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it serves as a key reference for the study of Expressionist prints. Historical pieces like this often enter the public domain, ensuring wide accessibility for scholarly research and appreciation of Schiele’s seminal portraits.